Two Apologies and Dialogue with Trypho

D E D I C A T I O.

...it is also permitted, and to those who feel as I do, to know something—however little it may turn out to be—through greater labor, and to see that we and others, however much they may seem to know, are ignorant of what we do not know, rather than to know nothing, and to not even have that fact recognized, perhaps with less labor, but certainly not a small amount.

But they will say that they do not concern themselves with difficult and obscure passages; for those whose understanding is necessary for salvation, they say, are all sufficiently clear and perspicuous to everyone by themselves. No one of sound mind can deny this. It does not please me in the least to dispute such matters, nor have I ever approved of the reasoning of those who, so rashly—as if speaking of the most trivial matter—and so assertively—as if speaking of the most certain and thoroughly explored matter—are accustomed to decide and pronounce what is necessary for eternal salvation and what is not. Nor is there a need for me to engage in that—which I have hitherto avoided—of falling into the middle and intimate question of what the use of the fathers is, and how great it is, which is truly long and almost infinite, and unnecessary for my stated purpose (though I do not lack what is sufficient for such a matter, nor do I think anyone can err greatly, unless they have brought to their reading either blind and stolid veneration, or unlearned and unteachable pride, in place of true judgment). I shall address this very thing now at the end of this disputation. Nor is there a need to do so. These new and unlearned teachers must first teach us...